Core Summary The strategic mission ofthe Developmental Research Core (DRC) is to provide a mechanism for fostering innovative research (Developmental Pilot and Cross-TREC Pilot Projects) focused on the Center's theme that will stimulate future transdisciplinary research in energetics and cancer and help in the development of future leaders in the field. The DRC will also promote exploration with others entities that can synergistically enhance internal TREC outcomes and also outcomes of the overall TREC program. The specific aims of the DRC are: (1) to encourage high-quality, innovative, and transdisciplinary research in energetics and cancer that explores and integrates the etiology of obesity and relevant health behavior theories, with broad population impact to prevent and control obesity and cancer; (2) to expand the activities of individual research projects into new areas that reflect transdisciplinary science; (3) to provide a mechanism for developing, evaluating, and ensuring successful completion of pilot research projects;and (4) to evaluate the success of the DRC. To accomplish these aims, the Core will in support two developmental pilot projects per year beginning in the second year of the TREC Center, after resources have been established, and continue through year five. Developmental pilot projects will explore new ideas and emerging opportunities that will contribute to existing Center projects. Projects will focus on transdisciplinary research in energetics and cancer that explores and integrates the etiology of obesity and relevant health tjehavior theories, with broad population impact to prevent and control obesity and cancer. Additionally, the Core will support Cross-TREC Pilot Projects involving collaborations with other TREC awardees and other cross-TREC activities needed to advance both our TREC Center and the collection of TREC Centers funded. Drawing on our overall plan to evaluate the success of the TREC at generating transdisciplinary science, we will provide an explicit evaluation of this Core. In particular, we will apply criteria for transdisciplinary science suggested by Dr. Stokols (2003)\ This evaluation strategy considers standard measures of productivity as well as the contribution of proposed pilot research to transdisciplinary science. The research funded through this program will sen/e as a mechanism for pushing the Center's boundaries in its future research.